Non-slip tying arrangement



Nov. 19, 1963 A. J. HOWE, JR 3,110,945

NON-SLIP TYING ARRANGEMENT Filed Feb. 1, 1962 A RT'HUI? 1 How: J2. iINVENTOEQ.

BY 9 z ZM A GENT United States Patent Ofiice 3,110,945 Patented Nov.179, 1963 3,110,945 NON-SLIP TYING ARRANGEMIENT Arthur I. Howe, Jr.,1132 26th St., Santa Monica, Calif. Filed Feb. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 170,3322 Claims. (Cl. 24-143) This invention relates to the shoelace art andmore particularly to improved arrangements of shoelaces for resistinginadvertent untying.

Virtually everyone has experienced, at one time or another, the annoyingoccurrence of having a shoelace become untied. This is particularlycommon among children whose manual dexterity is not sufficient either totie the laces securely or at a proper distance from the ends thereof.Consequently, there has long existed a need for an improved shoelacethat resists such undesired untying. However, because of the continuedand well-established public acceptance of the tubular-type shoelace,particularly that type known as a tubular weave shoelace, it isnecessary that any improvements therein not change the externalconfiguration or appearance of the standard shoelace in order to becommercially successful and must not interfere with normal lacing,tying, and untying. Further, such improvements must be exceptionallyinexpensive to incorporate into standard shoelaces because of the verymodest cost of Shoelaces themselves. In addition, it is also a desirablefeature to increase the serviceable life of shoelaces.

Prior inventions relating to means for resisting the inadvertent untyingof shoe laces have not, as far as applicant can determine, met thesedesiderata. Some arrangements have included unconnected metallic orother hard beads inside the tubular weave shoelace that are restrainedby friction therebetween in stretching the weave. This not only tendedto interfere with tying and lacing and changed the externalconfiguration, but it also decreased the serviceable life due to greaterrubbing of the lace at each bead. Further, such unconnected heads oftenbunched together, resulting in comparatively nonflexible section of thelace.

Other arrangements have incorporated unsightly bulges on exteriorportions of the lace that were both expensive to incorporate anddifficult to economically manufacture.

This invention overcomes these difliculties by providing, in combinationwith a standard tipped, tubular weave shoelace, a plurality of spaced,restrained protuberances contained within the lace. In one embodiment ofapplicants invention, the ends of a flexible body member, such as a thinstring or thread, are clampingly engaged to the ends of the tubularweave lace by the tips. A plurality of spaced protuberances are coupledto the body member in a preselected array. In one arrangement thereof,the protuberances may take the form of knots tied in the body member atpreselected intervals. Since the knots are also flexible, though lessflexible than the unknotted portions of the body member, they are easilyfed through eyelets in shoes and tied. By sizing the cross section ofthe protuberances smaller than the cross section of the unstretchedtubular weave lace, the external appearance of the lace is not changed.

When this shoelace embodiment is tied into the typical bow commonlyutilized, portions of the lace at the location of the protuberancesengage other portions of the lace between protuberances and as the bowis tied the comparatively larger size of the protuberance cannot passthrough the restricted tied portion.

Any tendency of the lace to slip, which would result in an undesirableuntying, is resisted by the inability of the protuberance to passthrough the lace. However, when forces are applied to the tips of thelace to intentionally untie the how, the flexibility of the protuberanceallows it to be forced through the restricted portion. Similarly, theprotuberances engage edge portions of the shoe eyelets and, when undertension, are prevented from slipping therethrough.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedshoelace.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shoelace thatresists inadvertent untying and slipping.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an untyingresistant shoelace that has the same external appearance as standardtubular shoelaces and is economical to manufacture.

The above and other objects and features are discussed in detail in thefollowing description and with reference to the accompanying drawing inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial representation of a shoelace, partially insection, according to applicant's invention;

FIGURE 2 illustrates another embodiment of applicants invention; and

FIGURE 3 illustrates the shoelace of FIGURE 1 tied in a bowknot.

While applicants invention is described herein in the embodiment of ashoelace, it will be appreciated that it has applicability to any cord,string, twine, rope, or other tying device in which it is desirable toprevent inadvertent untying of a knot.

Similarly, while the description below presents an embodiment ofapplicants invention utilizing a standard tubular weave shoelace andwhile this type of existing shoelace has achieved Wide publicacceptance, applicants invention may be utilized in any tubular outercovering to provide the inherent advantages described herein.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a shoelace generallydesignated 10 according to applicants invention. A standard tubularweave outer covering 12 has wall portions 14 defining an elongatedcavity 16. Contained within the cavity 16 is a flexible body member 18having a plurality of protuberances 20 coupled thereto at spacedintervals. An end portion 22 of the body member 18 is clampingly engagedto the outer covering 12 by the standard shoelace tip 24. While only afirst end 26 of the shoelace 10 is shown in section in FIGURE 1 toillustrate the details of construction of applicants invention, a secondend 26 is similarly constructed and the body member 18 with theprotuberances 20 coupled thereto is substantially coextensive with thecavity 16 from the first end 26 to the second end 26.

Since the flexible body member 18 is clamped to ends 26 and 26, theprotuberances 20 attached thereto can.- not bunch or gather together.The only movement of the protuberances 20 relative to the outer covering12 is that permitted by the inherent flexibility of the outer covering12 and portions 18' of body member 18 between the protuberanees 20.

The combination of the body member 18 and the protuberances 20 may befabricated in a unitary construction. For example, the body member 18may be a thread,

string, or similar item and the protuberances 2t) may be formed by tyingknots at preselected, spaced intervals.

In FIGURE 2 there is shown another embodiment of applicants invention.In this embodiment there is contained within a cavity 16a, formed by theflexible wail portions 14a of a tubular outer covering 12a, a flexiblebody member 130, which may also be a thread, string, or similar item.Each of the protuberances Zita, however, is formed by coupling portions18a" of the body member18a in apertures of a plurality of annularyielding sleeve means 30. Each of the sleeve means 3%) is preferablymade of a synthetic resin and is somewhat less flexible than the bodymember 18a. Such coupling may be achieved by gluing each of the sleevemeans 30 to the portion 118a" of the body member 18a, by crimping eachof the sieeve means 30 on the body member 18a or by any other desiredmethod of attachement therebetween. Each of the sleeve means 30 ispreferably formed in the shape illustrated on FIGURE 2, having linearend portions substantially co-axial with the portions 18a of the bodymember 18a, and an arcuate portion connecting the linear end portionsdisplaced from the center line of the portions 18a of the body member13a. The arcuate portion of each of the sleeve means 39 provides theprotuberance 20a. Applicant has found that the torsional flexibility ofthe portions 13a of body member 18a between the sleeves 3t} insures thatthe protuberances Ztia are randomly oriented in angular dispersion aboutthe long axis of body member 18a. This provides a similar effect as theprotuberances 2d of FIGURE 1. As noted above, the arcuate center portionof each of the sleeve means 36 that forms the protuberance 29a isdisplaced from the center line of the portions 18a of the body member18a intermediate the sleeve means 30. The arcuate center portion is,preferably, deformable to allow the shoe lace to be pulled througheyelets of shoes and through a bow knot tied therein when subjected topreselected forces, but to resist such movement when not subjected tosuch forces, as described below in connection with FIGURE 3. Thus, undersuch forces, the arcuate center portion of each sleeve means 30 deformsto approach a coaxial orientation with respect to the linear endportionsthereof and with respect to the portions 13a of the body member184: when passing through eyelets or a bow knot, and then returns to theshape shown on FIG- URE 2 when not passing through such restrictiveapertures.

To achieve the desiderata of providing this improved shoelace yet stillretaining the same external appearance as a standard tubular Weave lace,applicant has found that the size of the protuberances 20 must becontrolled with respect to the cross sectional dimensions of the cavity16 of FIGURE 1. Thus, in the preferred embodiment of applicantsinvention, the cross sectional dimension of the protuberances 20 is lessthan the unstretched cross sectional dimension of the outer covering 12.However, the flexibility of the outer covering 12 allows it to becompressed against the portions 18' of body member 18 when tied into atypical bow. The particular protuberances 20a immediately adjacent sucha bow knot, being of larger size than portions 18', are prevented frompassing through such a bow. This is illustrated in FIGURE 3 wherein isillustrated a typical bowknot 32 tied in the lace it) of FIGURE 1.

When the bowknot 32 is securely tied, portions 34 of the outer covering12 are compressed against the sections 18 of the body member 18 whichare between the protuberances 20. The particular protuberances 2% thatare immediately adjacent the portions 34 are prevented from slippinglypassing through the restricted section. However, when ordinary untyingforces, represented by arrows 38, are applied to the ends 26 and 26, aswhen it is desired to untie the bowknot 32, the flexibility of theprotuberances 2% allows them to be compressed sufficiently to passthrough the restricted section and thus let the bowknot 32 becomeuntied.

Similarly, the flexibility of the protuberances 2% allows them to beeasily passed through the eyelets of shoes (not shown) during lacing andunlacing. It will be appreciated that the sleeve means 30 providing theprotuberances 29a as illustrated in FIGURE 2 react substantially thesame as the protuberances Zita illustrated on FIG- URE 3 to resist theuntying of the bow knot. Also, as noted above, the protuberances 24inillustrated on FIG- URE 2 prevent inadvertent slippage through theeyelets of shoes in a manner similar to that of the protuberances 20 ofFIGURES 1 and 3.

While protuberances to resist untying are thus only required in ashoelace, in the end portions thereof where the bowknot is tied,applicant has found that it is not only more economical to have theprotuberances coextensive with the length of the lace, but this alsoprovides the advantages mentioned below. This permits the fabrication ofthe body member 18 with the protuberances 20 coupled thereto as aunitary item which may be continuously inserted into the outer covering12 before it is cut and tipped. Nevertheless, applicant recognizes thatin some applications, it may be more desirable to have the protuberances2t} only in the bow tying portions of the lace,

even though such an arrangement may be more costly.

In a shoelace application where it is desirable to aiso preventundesired slipping of the lace through the eyelets of the shoes, havingthe protuberances extend throughout the length of the lace provides thisadvantage. When the lace is under tension, as described above, theprotuberances engage edge portions of the eyelets and are prevented fromslipping therethrough.

From the above description it can be seen that applicants invention alsoprovides a longer serviceable life of a shoelace by both restrainingrelative movement of the outer covering 12 against itself to thuseliminate frictional wear as well as providing, effectively, astructural reinforcing member in the body member 18.

This completes the description of the embodiments of applicantsinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved shoe lace comprising in combination: a tubular outercovering having flexible wall portions defining an elongated cavity; aflexible body member positioned within said cavity and substantiallyco-extensive in length therewith; a plurality of yieldable annularsleeve members coupled to said flexible body member in a preselectedspaced array throughout the ienght thereof, and each of such yieldableannular sleeve members comprising a first and a second linear endportion and an arcuate portion intermediate said first and second endportions, and said annular sleeve member having walls defining a bodymember receiving aperture through said first and second linear endportions and said arcuate portion for receiving said body member thereinand each of said annular sleeve members being restrained from linearmovement on said body member to maintain said preselected spaced array,and each of said annular sleeve members being substantially uniform incross-section throughout the length thereof, and said arcuate portionsof said annular sleeve members being arranged in a substantially randomannular dispersion with respect to the axis of said flexible bodymember; and rigid tip means coupled to the ends of said outer coveringand the ends of said body member for restraining said body member withinsaid cavity.

2. An improved shoe lace comprising in combination: a tubular weaveouter covering having walls defining an elongated cavity and said wallshaving a first degree of flexibility; a string-like body memberpositioned within said cavity and having a pro-selected torsionalflexibility and a second degree of linear flexibility less than saidfirst degree of flexibility of said walls of said outer covering; aplurality of yieldable annular sleeve members coupled to said bodymember in a pre-selected spaced array through the length thereof andeach of said annular sleeve members comprising a first and a secondlinear end portion and an arcuate portion intermediate said first andsaid second linear end portion, and said annular sleeve member havingwalls defining a body member receiving aperture through said first andsecond linear end portions and said arcuate portion for receiving saidbody member therein, and said arcuate portion being normally displacedfrom the center line of the portions of the body member intermediatesaid plurality of yieldable annular sleeve members and said areuateportion of each of said yieldable annular sleeve members beingyieldingly deformable from said displaced position, and said arcuateportions of said annular sleeve members being arranged 6 in asubstantially random angular dispersion around the axis of said bodymember; and rigid tip means coupled to the ends of said outer coveringand the ends of said body member for restraining said body member withinsaid cavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 85,830Julian et al Ian. 12, 1869 579,943 Kempshall Mar. 30, 1897 984,099Manoog Feb. 14, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS 853,115 Germany Oct. 23, 1952

1. AN IMPROVED SHOE LACE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A TUBULAR OUTERCOVERING HAVING FLEXIBLE WALL PORTIONS DEFINING AN ELONGATED CAVITY; AFLEXIBLE BODY MEMBER POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CAVITY AND SUBSTANTIALLYCO-EXTENSIVE IN LENGTH THEREWITH; A PLURALITY OF YIELDABLE ANNULARSLEEVE MEMBERS COUPLED TO SAID FLEXIBLE BODY MEMBER IN A PRESELECTEDSPACED ARRAY THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH THEREOF, AND EACH OF SUCH YIELDABLEANNULAR SLEEVE MEMBERS COMPRISING A FIRST AND A SECOND LINEAR ENDPORTION AND AN ARCUATE PORTION INTERMEDIATE SAID FIRST AND SECOND ENDPORTIONS, AND SAID ANNULAR SLEEVE MEMBER HAVING WALLS DEFINING A BODYMEMBER RECEIVING APERTURE THROUGH SAID FIRST AND SECOND LINEAR ENDPORTIONS AND SAID ARCUATE PORTION FOR RECEIVING SAID BODY MEMBER THEREINAND EACH OF SAID ANNULAR SLEEVE MEMBERS BEING RESTRAINED FROM LINEARMOVEMENT ON SAID BODY MEMBER TO MAINTAIN SAID PRESELECTED SPACED ARRAY,AND EACH OF SAID ANNULAR SLEEVE MEMBERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM INCROSS-SECTION THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH THEREOF, AND SAID ARCUATE PORTIONSOF SAID ANNULAR SLEEVE MEMBERS BEING ARRANGED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY RANDOMANNULAR DISPERSION WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF SAID FLEXIBLE BODYMEMBER; AND RIGID TIP MEANS COUPLED TO THE ENDS OF SAID OUTER COVERINGAND THE ENDS OF SAID BODY MEMBER FOR RESTRAINING SAID BODY MEMBER WITHINSAID CAVITY.